HUP 02: Fifteen artists showcase the results of a year of experimentation
As you step into the BLANCO hall, you immediately notice the vast possibilities offered by the large open space. At the same time, there is a special atmosphere: the HUP 02 exhibition is the final project to take place here and marks the end of nearly ten years of NUCLEO’s activities at this location.
Each of the fifteen artists has found their own space within the hall. The Ghent-based artist collective Shift took charge of the scenography and gave all the works plenty of room to breathe. There is no overarching theme. Instead, a collection of personal artistic journeys unfolds. As you walk through the exhibition, you encounter drawings, textile works, ceramics, and objects, alongside paintings, glasswork, and installations. The diversity is vast, yet it never feels fragmented. On the contrary: unexpected connections emerge between the works, giving the exhibition a strong sense of cohesion.
Cootje Veelenturf presents a large-scale textile work that explores her fascination with selkies. These mythological creatures from Scottish, Irish, and Icelandic folklore can shift between the forms of a seal and a human by putting on or taking off their seal skin. “The work symbolizes my artistic journey,” Cootje explains. “In textiles, I have found a form of expression that allows me to convey my intuition and memories through layered compositions.” HUP marked a new step in that exploration for her. “I bought a sewing machine that enables me to work with different fabrics and experiment further. HUP helped me gain recognition for what I aim to express through my work.”
Lyra Oey’s personal migration history has long been a major source of inspiration in her work. Drawing from her family history, which has its roots in Indonesia, she uses diary excerpts, photographs, letters, and found footage, which she transforms into her own artistic visual language. “For the HUP project, I focused on a technical exploration,” says Oey. “For the first time, I used my source material to create ceramic screen prints. For me, clay is a suitable medium for capturing memories. The material also gives the images an extra layer of depth and character.”
Six life-size dolls flank a mobile studio. Jolinde Deprez developed a traveling workspace that comes to people, rather than the other way around. “With HUP, I seized the opportunity to set up a participatory project with clients of Voluit, an organization that provides support to people with intellectual disabilities, autism, or acquired brain injuries. Together with Geneviève, Gudrun, Henri, Jeannine, Marie, and Sigrid, I worked on the theme of self-portraiture. Together, we created six eclectic multi-textile dolls, transforming tangible memories into textile objects.”
Geert Thijs creates his drawings using a distinctive method. In a 3D program, he builds heads and bodies, which he then distorts, stretches, and compresses in digital simulations to create intriguing images. Only then does the actual drawing begin: using pencil and charcoal, he meticulously translates those virtual constructions onto paper. “That’s something completely different from creating AI images,” Geert emphasizes. “I create the 3D models myself and manipulate them until something emerges that captivates me.” He views the process of studying and drawing the image itself as a Zen exercise that takes days. “Thanks to HUP, I’ve built up symbolic capital,” Geert adds. “I find it remarkable that there’s no age limit attached to the call for submissions. It shows that you can create relevant work even later in life and receive recognition for it.”
